Second New Yorker Dies From Vaping-Related Illness: Governor

NEW YORK CITY — A second New York City dweller has died from a vaping-related illness, state officials said Wednesday.

A Manhattan man in his 30s with a history of smoking e-cigarettes is the second New Yorker to die from vaping products, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

The Department of Health confirmed to Cuomo that a vaping-related illness turned fatal, based on a medical record review, according to the governor's office.

"Our message on vaping remains unchanged," Cuomo said in a statement. "If you don't know what you're smoking, don't smoke it."

The news comes one day after New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a lawsuit against Juul Labs, Inc., the top seller of vaping products in the U.S.

A 17-year-old Bronx boy was the first New York City resident to die from a vaping-related illness and the youngest in the nation, according to the attorney general.

Cuomo compared vaping manufacturers to "Big Tobacco" and called on the federal government to ban flavored e-cigarettes, which lawmakers argue are being targeted toward children and teens.

"This is Big Tobacco all over again," Cuomo said. "Make no mistake: This is a public health crisis; and until our 'leaders' in Washington do something to stop it, more lives will be lost."